Meetings and events

Saturday 21 June 2014: DWHC joined the 50,000 anti-austerity marchers in a protest against government cuts in health and welfare. Doctors, midwives, nurses, radiographers and administrative staff were among the huge contingent of NHS supporters staging a protest outside the Department of Health in Whitehall before a rally in Parliament Square.

We voted for health and we’ll keep on fighting

Despite the awful election results for our NHS, we are delighted that the Whittington community voted to save our NHS. The MPs who supported our campaign, Emily Thornbury and Jeremy Corbyn, romped home with increased majorities and Catherine West, a loyal and active supporter, who helped us to write our Manifesto for Health got a huge majority.

But the new Conservative government places our NHS and our hospital under an increased risk of cuts to services, staffing and staff pay, privatisation and downgrading of important departments.

We will be fighting back.

March for health, homes, jobs and education – end austerity!

DWHC supporters will be out in force for the big march organised by the People’s Assembly Against Austerity, ending in a rally in Trafalgar Square on Saturday 16 April. The march brings together activists in the fight to defend the NHS from continuing government attacks with opponents to the cuts in housing, jobs and schools. Assemble 1pm Gower Street/Euston Road, NW1.

Junior doctors to go on 48 hour strike

The second of three 48-hour strikes by junior doctors will go ahead on 6 April as they continue to fight the government’s plan to cut their pay and conditions, and impose an “unsafe” contract without agreement of the “doctors’ trade union” the British Medical Association.

Pickets will be out at the Whittington and we urge all those who care about what’s happening to our NHS to join the junior doctors on their picket line outside the hospital to show solidarity and support.

Join the fight – stand by our local hospitals and GPs

The huge shake-up in health provision already under way as part of the government’s latest plan to merge and cut services will have a big impact on local GP practices and hospitals, including the Whittington.

Camden Keep Our NHS Public has called a meeting to alert everyone to the dangers and to defend NHS services with local MP Kier Starmer, junior doctors’ spokesman Yannis Gourtsoyannis, a local GP, student nurses on their battle over jobs and a teachers union representative who will explain why they are backing the doctors’ strike, 7pm Wednesday 27 April, Council Chamber, Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, WC1H 9JE.

Battle to defend London’s NHS

DWHC backed the rally to defend London’s health service which was a big show of force by campaign activists, London MPs, and prominent public figures who support the NHS during the final weeks in the run-up to the general election.

It was hosted by Save Hammersmith and Charing Cross Hospitals campaign on Tuesday 10 March at Hammersmith town hall.

Speakers included Islington MP Jeremy Corbyn and the Guardian columnist Owen Jones. The rally was aimed at taking forward campaigns in London and promoting demands for saving the NHS from government attacks.

Britain needs a pay rise

A huge contingent of nurses was among the 100,000 protestors – including DWHC supporters – who marched through London on 18 October to show their anger at government cuts in wages and benefits and the pay freeze inflicted on the NHS

Good and bad news from hospital AGM

The Whittington AGM was on Wednesday 3 September at the undergraduate lecture theatre, level 1. It was reported that the hospital is generally doing well, with some interesting research projects, new ambulatory care and planning for expansion of maternity services.

However, we remain worried about the integrated care set-up, which may not provide enough after-care for vulnerable groups once they have been sent home, in the earlier routines that they are now practising. We were also extremely concerned at the appalling low staff morale indicated in the annual report.

Hospital numbers are increasing rapidly, including in A & E and for day surgery. So it goes to show that our two campaigns were worthwhile.

London welcomes 999 Call for the NHS marchers

The people’s 999 Call for the NHS marchers on the last leg of the 300-mile journey to Trafalgar Square

Islington people held a special welcome for the 999 Call for the NHS marchers when they arrived in London after their magnificent action which began in Jarrow on Tyneside on 16 August. The marchers covered the route of the original Jarrow march of unemployed workers in 1936, 300 miles through 23 towns and cities.

DWHC members joined the march on Saturday 6 September, before heading off to Trafalgar Square, where speakers told the rally that the only way to protect our public health services was to defeat the Tory party and its leaders who were intent on wrecking the NHS through cost-cutting and privatisation 999callfornhs.org.ukMore details on facebook www.facebook.com/999callfor the nhs

The scale of the “savings” being forced on the Whittington have raised fears about job losses and severe cuts in services. Our public meeting on Monday 3 March will give everyone an opportunity to raise these concerns – and we will hear from speakers from Lewisham, Chase Farm and Whipps Cross about their fight to defend their hospitals. The meeting will be chaired by local MP Jeremy Corbyn. PLEASE NOTE that we have had to change the venue for the meeting. It will now be from 7pm at St Mary’s church, Brookfield, Dartmouth Park Hill, NW5 1SL.

This May Hurt a Bit. Sunday 28th September 8.00 pm Lauderdale House
Tickets will cost £10 and £5 (conc and Unison members)
Please email us know if you would like us to reserve tickets for you.
email: defendwhittington@gmail.com

Today with the realisation that the Whittington has a banner inside the main foyer warning people that NHS treatments are chargeable to those without the right to be resident in the UK is yet another reason to back all and every protest group fighting the cuts

What we are fighting for

* We are opposed to the rundown, closure or privatisation of all hospitals and hospital departments and any other key health services in North London.

* We want to stop the sell-off of our NHS.

* We call for the repeal of the Health and Social Care Act - the government measure which opened the way for big private companies to take over our hospitals and health services and shut them down if they don't make enough profit.

* We call for full funding of our NHS to meet our health needs, free at the point of delivery.

* We are proud of our caring staff at the Hospital, and welcome the diversity of the staff.